Apparatus for drying and seasoning timber



April 19 1927.

A. M. KOBIOLKE APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND SEASONING TIMBER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Ju1y25. 1923 April 19, 1927.

A, M. KOBIOLKE APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND SEASONING TIMBER Filed Ju1y25, 1923 2 Sheets-Shasta Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

UNITED -s' rarss;rarsur g ii anonr mm 10mm, enem vrc'roara,

APPARATUS FOB DBYI I I'G SE ASONIN'G Application filed July 25,

This invention relates to' a process and apparatus for seasoning timber in log, board and other shape and has order to provide a process of greater utility than those at present in use.

With the processes of timber at present in use This invention'hasbeen devised in order to overcome existing defects and to provide an improved process of great utility.-

An essential feature underlying this invention consists in subjecting the timber to vacuum to perform the function of drying the timber, such function being characterized in that the vacuum draws the moisture release and sap fr'\m the inside to the outside and embodies tne basic principle underlying the invention.

In this function the cells of the timber are ad'usted to atmospheric pressure and when the vacuum is created the pressure is released and the cells exude towards the vacuum and no circulation of current takes place but the moisture and sap exude and and are then evaporated or condensed and drawn off by the vacuum.

A further essential feature consists in subjecting the timber to heat and interchanging the degree of vacuum employed according to the heat to which the timber is subjected, that is to say, the lower the heat the greater the vacuum and the higher the heat the poorer the vacuum.

A further essential feature embodied in the invention consists in applyingc thevacuum to the timber as showni asg'the heat reaches the required temperature-sothat the vacuum draws the sa from" the centre to the surf-ace of the tim er, suchfunction being the most eifective continuous manner of drying timber and obviates any further treatment.

This moisture absorbing agent may be a lime or'other chemical to effect the purpose.

Steps inthe process therefore consist in subjecting the timber to excessive heat to the moisture therefrom, exhaustin the moist atmosphere by an exhauster, suc

as a vacuum pump or pumps and condensing been devised in.

v machine being 1928, Serial No. 653,818, and in airman. my 25, n;

or absorbing the unexhausted moisture re-: leased from the timber so as 'to increase the drying of the timber in the kiln.-

In car ing the invention into practical efiecta cjamber'orkiln ca able of being hermetically sealed is providiad and is constructed of concrete, metal material. 'Y

The timber to into this chamber which is also fitted with the connections to one or more vacuum producing machines the vacuum pump of the disposed externally or internally of the chamber and being fitted with an exhaust.

Any suitable vacuum rodu'ci'ng machine be treated is stacked or run or-other suitable ma be employed'to ex aust the moisture an sa from the; wood being treated.

Additionally the timber maybe subjected to heat radiation by steam pipes or other elements in whichcase when the sap or moistureis suficiently heated the vacuum is applied and the. sap is drawn from the centre of the timber'evenly to the outer surface, although it will be readily understood that the heat and vacuum may be simultaneously applied .if so desired.

It is preferred that the heat and vacuum may be interchanged by "cont-rollin both elements in such a manner that the igher the heat subjected to' the timber the poorer the vacuum and the lower the heat the greater the vacuum.

Additionally to the apparatus above described one or more condensers consisting of a system of piping or a narrow chamber of maximum area with a circulation of air or cold water is placed above the kiln, and it is obvious that any other suitable construction of condenser may be employed if so desired for instance a chemical absorber of moisture may be used.

When one condenser is employed it is preferably disposed centrally above the kiln and the moisture not exhausted by the vacuum machine or machines condenses on the surface or lining of .the kiln and runs off through an outlet pipe which externally of the kiln is provided with shutoff cocks with a trap between so that the atmosphere cannot reach the kiln interior.

Thus two tem ratures are maintained about the kiln, viz the heat inside and the condensers outside which with the vacuum machines give the correct balance or ratio for drawing off the whole release of mois lit till

till

tore :lronn the tiroher which is time see-- eoned continuously in it much shorter time end in a simpler munner then is ohtuined in the methods at present in use.

In order that the invention ruuv he more readily understood it will now he described with reference to the ucconipunying drew iu s in whichrigure l is u vievv in elevotion showing; the kiln and vuouuin producer in cross sec tion of or plant constructed uccording; to this invention.

Figure 2 is it view in or modified construction of lriln V Figure 3 is it view in cross section of lriln electrically hoot-ed erehodierl in the in vention.

Figure is it view in crooo section ol'" u ltiln emhodied in the invention:lornred oi? concrete, end

Figure 5 is view in section of the menus tor holding; the door to the lriln According to this invention u l is provided or on electric h once it no illustroted in l emloyed.

ill the arrangement illustruted in Yl i ure It or ureter holler It is provided hovin u pipe lend 3 for the eteum with vulve tool at to the steuin coils or tuhes in ltiln This ltiln may he o'l? un v ouituhlo mtv teriul and construction losing With o glues dome '1? Within which is thermometer 8 the dome l indicating: the extent oil eondensutiou in the lriln end else heingr when suddenly cooled down show my indication of moisture in the lriln.

In the kiln 6 on suituhle supports or trove ll ore disposed the hourds l ploced preteruhly at on angle so illustrated.

\ ln order to prevent the condensotion products running over-the honrds 1U deflecting plates 11 are fitted on the lulu end the moisture is run oil through the pipe 152 post the valve 13 to the trop which at its delivery pipe is provided with o velve let" to prevent the return cl oir to the lriln.

Leading from the pipe It? is it further pipe fitted "with u valve in lending to u vacuum producing device it oil ony suitable construction, said device ll' lacing fed by water or other fluid fed through the pipe 18 under pressure.

Any suitable number of vacuum producing devices 17 may be employed and when the sap and moisture in the hoards l0 reach a sufficient temperature imparted by the heat of the coils 5 the vacuum devices 17 are caused to operate so drawing the moisture from the wood in the manner above section or? o described, but if desired the vacuum devices may commence to operate simultaneously with the heat or at any degree thereof.

In order to quickly condense the moist for the vupours drown or given off tfronu the Wood huusts the moisture end one throuvh the euhuuet pipe d1.

rt. lurther ruodificution in this figure shows the hosrds mounted on on u can rings 23 supported on Wheels running on 25 thus allowing of the ropid hundling oil the hourds to and from the kiln t3.

the inodificution illustrotod in l-Tigurc 3 the lrlln is electricolly hosted, at hector heinn; provided in the lriln 6' by the insertion ol electricul heeting devices 26 of any suitohle construction hut preferably co onised in insulution so that t short circuit is prevented the hectin chumher or kiln tl.

this in. n e are trays ll carrying the hourds 10 to he treated on u curriuge work ing on rolls if desired, while the moisture deflectors 11 may also he fitted the moisture and one heinp; drawn through the pipe 12 lay the vucuum device or devices 1'? us above described.

The ltiln door 30 is preferahly hermeticully settled hr the vucuum in the lriln 6, the door 30 heing held. a oinst it ruhher pecking ring 3]. extending rem the groove 32 in the end of the kiln frame to illustroted in Figure 5, the door heing loosely hinged ot the top us at 3B or the side to milieu of movement on the operation ol the vocuurn in the lriln and so cause the hermetic cooling ol the door while the vacuum is in operation.

In the modificution illustrated in lEigure l the lriln 6 may be formed of concrete in which case it is preferred that a. Water jacket 3% he formed on both sides as illustrated to essist the condensation of the moisture in the kiln us shove specified, the wall forming the condenser, and it is thus obvious that the lriln may be almost completely immersed in water when condensing or alternatively in some instances the condensing. agents need not be employed as the moisture would be Withdrawn in the form of va our It is obvious that any sultable form of vacuum producing device mav be employed the construction illustrated being suitable urpose and. comprises the device 17 having t e fluid inlet pipe 18 for delivering the fluid under pressure past the whirling screw 17 in the nozzle 17" where the fluid as it leaves the nozzle is causedto spread against the walls of the exhaust assage 17 so as to form a wall of fluid wit 7 a hollow vcentre 17 into which the matter being exhallsted is drawn by centrifugal force through the pipe 15 from the kiln 6.

I desire it to be understood that various im rovements and modifications may be embo ied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention the essential feature of which is subjecting timber to vacuum so that the sap is evenly drawn the centre to the outer surface.

What I claim as my invention and desire from tosecure by Letters Patent is i a condenser operative to cause condensation inside of the kiln, for the purposes specified.

2. Apparatus for drying and seasoning.

timber, comprising a hermetically sealed kiln for receiving timber to be treated, means for supplying heat to the interior of the kiln. a trap, a pipe leading'from the kiln to the trap, avacum pump, a branch from the pipe to the vacuum pump, and means for causing condensation inside of the kiln, for the purposes specified.

'3. Apparatus for drying and seasonin timber, comprising a hermetically scale kiln for receiving timber to be treated, means for supplying heat tothe interior of the kiln, a vacuum pump arranged to exhaust moisture given 05 from the timber in thekiln, a condenser for. the kiln for assisting condensation within the kiln of the moisture therein, and means for feeding the timber to the kiln including trays mounted on a carriage and running on rails, substan tially as described.

SIgned at Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, this 26th day of April,'1923.

anonr MARTIN KOBIOLE; 

